


So This Is What It Feels Like

by witchyzoe



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, One Shot, el uses her powers on mike, makeout!!!, post-s2, set in sophomore year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-18 16:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18253664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchyzoe/pseuds/witchyzoe
Summary: set in the gang's sophomore year. canon compliant based a bit after season 2.basically we see jealous!el use her powers during an argument with mike that ends with something much more fun than screaming."He should be terrified, not turned on. Mike knew that but still, he couldn’t help himself. She looked 𝙝𝙤𝙩. Staring down at him all teenage angst and power, her distinctive effect on him was palpable."





	So This Is What It Feels Like

**Author's Note:**

> hello all! i've fallen into a mileven hole since the season 3 trailer dropped and have been searching for some fic featuring el using her powers on mike! i couldn't find any and the idea wouldn't leave me alone so this happened. i hope you enjoy! find me on twitter @elmaxduh to discuss. ok enjoy the angsty goodness!

“El! El!!! Where are you going?”

 

The rubber of Mike’s brown converse screeched loudly, echoing his yells as he was forced to a stop at the end of the hallway. His dark curls bounced against his face as he looked left, then right, trying to hear her footsteps.

 

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, choosing right and continuing his sprint. Mike had a very small window of time to find the owner of those footsteps and find out what the fuck was wrong. El didn’t have to run to disappear. Once she decided she didn’t want to be found, she wouldn’t be. Mike knew this well. Normally he’d be the one she’d seek out after an escape, either to talk or rant or just be close to him. He’d never been the one on this end of her anger. And Mike Wheeler did not like it. Not one tiny bit.

* * *

Things had been admittedly difficult since El had officially joined society. But not between them. The first time Mike had actually been able to take her to the movies it’d felt like waking up. Like he understood the one part of normal that was at all worthwhile. The bond they shared was nothing like the lame high school romances of their classmates. It was like taking flight on the Millennium Falcon: Fucking Epic. So whatever he’d done to threaten its downfall, he was determined to repair it.

 

Mike had been paired up with Jennifer Hayes for a chemistry project that had been taking up most of his free time for the past month. It was worth 50% of their grade and the textbook-angsty teen had gone into it completely pissed. Trying to accomplish an A-worthy project with a stuck-up cheerleader seemed like another in a long list of fate’s cruel jokes.

 

“Hey Mike, couldn’t conjure up a demogorgon for you this year so here's a grade A asshole to waste your time and ruin your GPA!” he’d thought to himself sarcastically.

 

To all of his pessimistic surprise, Jennifer didn’t just blow bubbles through her lip gloss when she’d shown up for their first meeting. She had a topic in mind and had come prepared with three books from the library. As the weeks went on she even made him laugh a few times, leading Mike to believe her bitchy exterior was more for show around her cheerleader friends. He wouldn’t say that he liked her, and he’d much rather be spending his afternoons making out with El in his basement, but it really hadn’t been as bad as he’d originally thought. They’d been putting the finishing touches on their project, laughing and sharing some Jiffypop Jennifer had left over from lunch, when out of nowhere one of the paper-mache elements they’d crafted fell and struck Jennifer’s arm. Mike had just turned his head to unplug the hot glue gun as she'd screamed.

 

“Holy shit are you ok?” he’d asked, concern and confusion in his voice.

 

“Yeah,” she breathed, rubbing her arm where she’d been hit, “I must have knocked it over somehow?” The fear was dissipating from her voice, she was more unsettled than actually injured.

 

Sure that she wasn’t seriously hurt, Mike attempted to understand how the element could have fallen. Before he could get too far he heard a noise outside the room and his eyes turned to the tiny window on the classroom door, just in time to catch a glimpse of brown curls walking away. Realization and fear simultaneously struck and he shot out of his desk chair.

 

“Shit, shit, _shit_.”

 

“Mike, what’s wrong?”

 

“What time is it?” he ground out, incapable of checking his own high-functioning watch that Holly had begged him to borrow for show and tell that morning.

 

“Uh...3:21,” Jennifer answered, still rubbing the sore spot on her arm, confused by her partner’s sudden anxious state.

 

“Shit!” he repeated.

 

He’d promised El they’d get ice cream and listen to her new records after school. Meeting by 3pm. Sharp. They’d both been so busy recently and El had expressed how much she’d missed alone time with him last night on the phone. Mike had come up with what he’d thought of as an almost perfect Friday night and was more than ready to make it happen. But then he’d woken up to Nancy and his mother in a screaming match about Jonathan sleeping over again and he’d had to take Holly to school who needed his watch, and then gotten yelled at in front of his entire first period class for being late. By the time he’d made it to his project meeting he’d just been ready to get the day over with and find El, but time had slipped away. Regardless, El’s vocabulary may have expanded since moving in with Hopper, but Mike still knew the three words she’d be waiting to greet him with.

 

“Friends. Don’t. Lie.”

 

Shit.

 

“Sorry Jen,” he offered, while piling his books into his backpack, “I thought we’d be done by 3 today,” he paused once inside the doorway, “I gotta go.” He’d apologize for being weird tomorrow but if he had any chance of El not being completely pissed he had to go.

 

Now.

 

* * *

 

Picking up his pace, Mike set his sight on the AV Club room door. It’d become his little safehouse with El whenever the club wasn’t in session. As president Mike had a key and, well, El didn’t  need a key to get in anywhere. Panting more out of nerves than exhaustion, (hey those long legs had some good uses), he jammed his key into the lock. He turned it right, but it wouldn’t budge.

 

“El,” he started, knowing she had to be manipulating the door, “El let me in. I’m sorry.”

 

With no response, he tried the lock again.

 

“El, come onnnn” he groaned. Nothing. So he tried the door again.

 

“El seriously.” A small crowd of his classmates had formed and random students started staring at the freak yelling into a seemingly empty AV Club room. Mike had been prepared to come in with his tail between his legs but now he was getting annoyed.

 

In a lower tone he started again, “El. I’ll explain. Now let. me--” but he was cut off as the door swung open and Mike fell forward inside, stumbling over himself. “In,” he finished as the door swung shut, complete with the distinct click of the lock.

 

He looked up to see El on the other side of the room, hair wild and beautiful, strong brown eyes lit with anger, and a small drop of blood pooling under her nose. He should be terrified, not turned on. Mike knew that but still, he couldn’t help himself. She looked _hot_. Staring down at him all teenage angst and power, her distinctive effect on him was palpable. El was electric with strength and Mike couldn’t tell if she wanted to kiss or kill him. He wanted to tell her everything he was thinking about but he also wanted to keep his head on his body so he chose a more vague,

 

“ _That_ never gets old,” signaling at the door while trying a smile to test the waters.

 

She did not reciprocate the smile.

 

Stepping closer, he tried a different approach.

 

“El. I am sorry,” his voice wrought with honesty, “Holly took my watch and we were just trying to get the project finished tonight. I should have kept better track of time.”

 

Proud of his maturity, taking Nancy’s advice to just apologize straight out, he tried to move closer once more. Yet he was stopped by the words he’d been expecting.

 

“Friends. Don’t. Lie” she spoke slowly, repeating what had become their whole party’s creed at this point. Her disapproval for his excuse was evident in the simple phrase, no further explanation offered. Mike got the point.

 

“El I know. I was wrong, but I promise I didn’t forget about you--”

 

“Promise?!” El questioned, light years away from the scared little girl who’d once used that word with him. She was clearly angry and Mike knew he’d fucked up, but he didn’t understand why she was _this_ pissed. He’d apologized! No defense at all. And she was the only one who got that side of him. Heat spread throughout his body as his own annoyance started to pick up.

 

“Yes, _promise_ ” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “and you didn’t have to hurt Jennifer for me to say it.”

 

Fire ignited in her eyes once more, darkening the honey brown to a deep black. Clearly he’d struck a nerve. With a flick of her wrist Mike was sent flying into an open chair.

 

“What the fuck!” he yelled, trying to stand up and failing, her mind keeping everything but his head frozen. El’s powers were incredible but he’d never been on the receiving end. Too many shitty firsts were happening today, he decided.

 

Ignoring his struggle El launched in on him, “Of course you’re worried about her!” The exasperation was evident in her voice. “Why meet up with your girlfriend when you’ve already fed your appetite,” alluding to the scene she’d witnessed in the classroom.

 

Using the one muscle he could, Mike responded: “You think I did something with Jennifer? Gross!” he spat out. The interaction had felt more like assigned seats in kindergarten snack time then whatever El was presuming.

 

“Oh is that so crazy to say? You spend all your time with her,” she started ticking her list off with her fingers, causing a spare piece of chalk to draw a line on the chalkboard for every indiscretion she mentioned. “You promise to see me today, then, you stand me up! I wait until 3-2-1, then go looking for you thinking maybe something bad had happened. Instead I see you touching her!”

 

“I was helping her with the hot glue gun!”

 

“Whatever!”

 

Feeling the hold loosen, Mike took his chance and stood up.

 

“El. You can’t just attack people every time you have a **crazy** thought.” He laid the emphasis on crazy to express how wrong her theory had been.

 

“Oh no?” she questioned, a glint in her eyes as she cast her eyes past Mike.

 

Gulping audibly at the rebellious look she had, he turned around slowly to see the brand new ‘87 Apple Macintosh II Computer, (the school’s most expensive tech equipment that all of the AV club funding had helped purchase), suspended in midair.

 

“El, shit, no, fuck _El_ they’ll kill me if it breaks,” stumbling on his words he turned around to face her. He didn’t really think she’d do anything to get him expelled but his girlfriend still had an unpredictable temper. He looked at her, so intensely focused on her power, and once again found himself in awe of her beauty. Like a stroke of lightning, understanding settled over him and Mike focused on his original feelings when entering the classroom.

 

“Stop,” he commanded, his voice suddenly clear.

 

Curious over his newfound confidence El brought her eyes back to his.

 

“Why?”

 

Walking towards her with zero hesitancy this time, a hand running through his curls in the way he knew she loved, he greeted her with a glint in his eyes only she could provoke.

 

“Because I really want to kiss you right now.”

 

In a second Mike saw a million emotions run through Eleven’s eyes. First confusion, then anger, then something darker he couldn’t exactly place. Praying it was desire echoing his own feelings, he moved until he was close enough to touch her with ease. Reaching up to her nose as he heard her lower the computer behind him, he wiped the blood away onto his sweater.

 

“Jen is fine but she’s still a mouthbreather,” he smiled, knowing she’d appreciate the use of one of her first modern words. Mike willed himself to muster up the courage he could only find standing so close to the girl he loved and continued, “But you’re stuck with me, Hopper. And I know I should be concerned about this whole power trip thing you’re on. But honestly?” Her breath hitched as he leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Its just made me want to kiss you more.”

 

Standing back, proud of this newer confident side in himself that El had brought out, Mike leaned down to kiss his mage when suddenly he was thrown back into the chair.

 

Utterly bewildered he looked up to curse again only to see El walking over to him, a grin playing on her lips. Standing in front of him she smiled, back to that playful tone of voice Mike loved,

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.” he said, confused desire in his eyes. They were alone in the AV room, making up from their first big fight, he was bound to a chair and El was standing ready to have her way with him. Mike could have sworn this was a dream he’d had after they first started coming in here. But as she sat down on top of him, effectively straddling him with their chests pressed together, his body’s reactions made it clear this was all too real. Her hands tangled in his hair and Mike was powerless to reciprocate.

 

“Good.”

 

And with that their lips met and El’s concentration went elsewhere. Mike’s hands surged up around her, one rubbing circles into her back while the other tickled against her neck. They picked up the argument with their kisses, tongues fighting for dominance and little nips flashed at bottom lips. It was heated, all their earlier passion finding a far more useful outlet.

 

“Mike,” El whined out as he attacked her neck. Laying kiss after merciless kiss on her tender flesh he couldn’t be bothered to worry about leaving a mark.

 

“Mine,” she ground out, the heat of her anger now pooling somewhere else, causing her voice to have a sense of absolute finality.

 

“Yours,” Mike agreed with a goofy grin, much too eager to return to her lips to say anything more intelligent.

 

After what’d felt like hours the lovers broke apart, heavy breaths being shared in the space between them. Her hands were still around his neck, and his around her waist keeping them eye level for once.

 

“God you’re hot when you’re mad,” he teased, a shit-eating teenage boy-who-just-got-kissed grin on his full lips.

 

Blushing, El countered back “I don’t have to be angry to use my powers, you know,” with a mischievous grin of her own.

 

Taking in her bruised and pouty lips, wild hair he’d set loose with his fingers, and everything that simply made El _El_ , he felt an overwhelming sense of love for his girl. Standing them both up so he could look down at her protectively, he went to speak but had to pause when he saw how the sun was reflecting on her in this new position, highlighting her features and framing her like an angel.

 

“I know. And I am so sorry. For real, ok? I didn’t mean to lie but I messed up and I disappointed you. I never want to do that. I-I love you.” It wasn’t the first time he’d said it but it was still new. And it still carried a rush of nerves every time he let it out. But looking at her so undeniably gorgeous and passionate and all damn _his_ he couldn’t stop himself.

 

El softened upon hearing Mike’s words, her earlier insecurities officially laid to rest.

 

“I love you too, Mike. All the way happy.”

 

El sighed and pressed her cheek into his chest. She didn’t need too many words to express how she felt. Not with Mike. He always just _understood_.

 

Mike pulled her in for a hug as he remembered where they were and couldn’t help but start laughing. “Ok its Friday at 4:30pm and we’re still still at school? Let's get the hell out of here. I believe I owe you a shit ton of ice cream anyways.”

 

Stepping back, he finished cheekily, “I’ll let you get the door.”

 

El giggled and with the tilt of her head it was open.

 

Mike held out his hand and she took it firmly, ready to enjoy the night together.

**Author's Note:**

> yay hope that was fun for you!! i've had this idea for a while but obvi wanted to age the characters up for a strictly pg-13 scenario lol. send me prompts and any thoughts over on twitter @elmaxduh!!! (i ship everything in this fandom smh)


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